I am curious about welding aluminum

I don't want to hear about how hard it is, and I don't want to hear about a great welding book I should buy. I want to know if it is possible for me to do it, and how much I would need to get started. I have some experience welding with a MIG welder.

From the search that I did here, I found that a TIG welder is better for aluminum, but a MIG welder can be used as well. Not wanting to spend the big bucks on a TIG welder, can someone tell me what size MIG I can use to weld what size aluminum plate?

Aluminum is a difficult material to weld with, but with a lot of practice you can have it mastered with a 115v machine, you will have to use a machine with a shielding gas system and possibly have to change the drive rollers and wire liner heading towards the gun, As far a Tig goes, Yes it is somewhat easier but only because you can drop the amperage super low, another factor is also you may not need a filler metal with Tig.

I havent heard any thing about the drive rollers but for the liner just get a nylon liner for your Mig. If you dont have one as of yet and you want a 115-volt model buy a good one! Preferably from a welding supply that will take care of you down the rode. The one I use has copper wound coils. A welding engineer works at the shop I use. And has been able to answer all my questions. The liners for my Mig are about $15-$20 you will probably have to use argon as your shield gas. A decent welder would start at around $400.00 and the bottle from $70-$270.00 not counting the wire. I did see a guy welding aluminum with a propane torch at a farm show but I didnt get the name of the rod he was using. And it was cheap!
I hope this helped.
Jeff

Be Honest and Trustworthy and give thanks for all you have. Life is good.

sometimes a different sized roller is needed, on most all brands today that shouldn't be required, i would recommend getting a teflon liner to help with the aluminum wire, it's such a soft wire it needs as little resistance as possible, otherwise it can "birdnest", that's when it sticks to the tip and gets wrapped around the rollers quite well , forming a birdsnest resembling clog of wire,

Zip, i think he was probably brazing that aluminum, there is a rod called Alumaloy http://www.alumaloy.net/ That is a low temp brazing type rod